In recent years, developments in stereoscopic image display apparatuses wherein images are seen so as to stand out from screens thereof have been advanced. The stereoscopic image is achievable by voluntarily generating both eyes parallax caused by an interval between a right eye and a left eye. That is, the stereoscopic image display apparatus provides different images to a right eye and a left eye of a person who watches images, and thereby expresses a stereoscopic sense that is images are viewed so as to stand out. As the method of providing the both eyes parallax, a Lenticular system or a Parallax Barrier system has been known.
In case the stereoscopic display apparatus is a n-eye type, the stereoscopic image to be displayed on the stereoscopic image display apparatus is composed of n-eye images, that is images viewed from n predetermined directions, and thereby generated. The stereoscopic image generation algorithm is a technique which is well known in “3D Image-Processing Algorithms that Take Account of a Lenticular Array's Sampling Effect (3D Image Conference 1996)” or the like, so that the explanation thereof will be omitted.
The above-described stereoscopic image generating algorithm is one of algorithms for generating a stereoscopic image on the basis of a predetermined static image without adhering to the concept of time. Accordingly, it is possible to put the algorithm achievable of the display of dynamic images expressed in the time-continuous display of a plurality of stereoscopic images generated for every frame, that is, frame after frame, at a real time, such as so-called cartoons which are leafed, to practical only by various types of inventions.
Whether the stereoscopic image display apparatus can generate and display the dynamic images at a real time or not depends on the following proposition. That is, it depends on whether the stereoscopic image generating apparatus can generate the stereoscopic images for every frame, that is, frame after frame, time-continuously, or not. More specifically, in case the stereoscopic image generating apparatus has a construction of performing the stereoscopic image generating algorithm only as a software processing, because the frequency of accesses by the stereoscopic image generating apparatus to n-eye original images of each frame becomes high, when the stereoscopic image generating apparatus generates stereoscopic images, there is a possibility it is prevented that the stereoscopic image generating apparatus generates stereoscopic images for every frame, or all n-eye original images are not completed.
Further, because it is necessary that a game apparatus, a three-dimensional CAD system or the like, comprising the stereoscopic image generating apparatus generates not only stereoscopic images but also n-eye original images, it is rigidly restricted on time.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a stereoscopic image generating apparatus for generating stereoscopic images to be displayed on a n-eye type of stereoscopic image display apparatus, for every frame, and displaying dynamic images on the stereoscopic image display apparatus, and a game apparatus comprising the stereoscopic image generating apparatus.